The <KeyName> element contains a string identifier that the party validating or decrypting an XML document uses to identify the corresponding key. For example, if you receive an encrypted or signed XML document that has a <KeyName> element value of "AsymmetricKey1", you will use a key that you and the sender have named "AsymmetricKey1" to decrypt or verify the document. Both parties must agree on a key name mapping ahead of time. Note that the actual key is not imbedded in the XML document.

For more information about the <KeyName> element, see Section 4.4.1 of the XMLDSIG specification, which is available from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) at www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core/, or see the XML Encryption specification, which is available from the W3C at www.w3.org/TR/xmlenc-core/.